This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Howard Figler Tele-Interview
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Entrepreneurial Spirit at Work
Researching your options, understanding hidden expenses and demands, and knowing why you are working will help you make the best career decisions. You can create opportunities for yourself by developing an “Entrepreneurial Spirit."
“You can find so many opportunities to make others feel like they matter, be it your co-worker or customer, mentor or manager, supervisor or stranger on the other end of the line.” says Billie Sucher in his article, Are You a S.M.A.R.T. Worker? Career Strategies to Make You More Valuable at Work.
Job Action Day articles on the entrepreneurial spirit:
Creating Opportunity Through Your Entrepreneurial Spirit,
by Nancy Miller
Welcome to the Age of Protean Careers: Encouraging Workers and Job-Seekers to be Proactive in a Transformational Workplace by Jay Block
Avoid Career Myopia and Create Your Opportunity for Freedom, Kristin Cardinale, Ph.D
Are You a S.M.A.R.T. Worker? Career Strategies to Make You More Valuable At Work, by Billie Sucher
Read all of the Job Action Day articles at: http://www.jobactionday.com/2010-Job-Action-Day.html.
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright CLWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
Thursday, November 04, 2010
The Art of Storytelling
When I first heard employment specialists recommend that clients "tell their story," I was appalled at some of the "stories" I heard. Most of us are not in the habit of telling our story effectively. By learning to write and tell our stories we can be honest, listen to ourselves, change negative thinking, and feel more confident about our skills and abilities. I have been journaling my story everyday in a blog called, "Walk About U!" The practice of writing and walking has helped me to write more creatively, feel more energized, and use analogies to paint a picture. Telling a good story takes practice. Taking a "Walk About U!" with LifeWork Coach, Nancy Miller, is a fun way to develop and express your story.
Developing a simple "LifeWork Success Plan" is an excellent way to organize your thoughts and ideas and bring out the stories you want to tell about your business or career. You can sign up for the LifeWork Success Plan Coaching Program to propel your career or business.
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Conference Opportunities
Students from the CSUN student chapter of CCDA volunteered at the CCDA welcome table, as well as board members, chapter leaders, and students volunteered who also helped with the conference. Volunteering for leadership positions or to help with a conference are a great way to network while learning and increasing professional development. Whether you like to sit in workshops or volunteer at a nature preserve, volunteering is a great way to help people, animals, or the environment while positioning yourself to be the best you can be in your career field.
I got back from the conference and my Macbook Air laptop crashed. My Mac feels like my third arm. It's hard to work without it. I have most of my documents on my light portable computer. Fortunately, I have my book on Fastpencil, and much of my writing on blogs. I will manage until I get it back in a day or two. The good news is that I went to the Apple store for a free diagnostic. They found the problems, one of which was a design flaw, and they are fixing it at no cost. I was very impressed with their technical service.
I am floundering through my documents and files to find what I need for setting up the new "Pages" feature on Blogger. Great feature! I couldn't wait. When the environment presents challenges, I just find another way to work.
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
Sunday, June 06, 2010
A Three Goat Day
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
TechnoKids
Are devices like the iPhone, iPod, Wii, and computers making kids smarter? In the April 2010 Fast Company magazine article, “A” Is for App, author Anya Kamenetz, claims, “New studies and pilot projects show smartphones can actually make kids smarter.” Kids as young as preschoolers and toddlers are getting comfortable with using technology in their everyday lives. But what happens when tasks don’t mix?
Preschoolers are savvy at using cell phones, computers, and handheld devices. They are growing up in a digital world where they can learn independently, be creative, and feel a sense of freedom. But as young children learn to use the devices, the manufacturers will need to make them tougher and waterproof if children use them freely. The XO computer is a compact sturdy computer for kids that is big enough to keep track of.
I learned to use a computer in college, thought math was boring in school, and later learned to love all of the things my computer and iPod Touch apps can do. Today’s children are having fun with math and word games while waiting for their parents to finish errands and classes to begin. Some are using the devices as part of their classroom learning. I hope the portability and social aspects of the new devices will encourage more shared interaction than the previous generation's individual game playing and passive TV.
It will be interesting to see how technology affects the next generation in their work, relationships, and self-esteem. Expectations and values are changing already and sometimes for the better. Young people are able to keep up with the many changes and transitions better than some of the older folks. We can all learn to be adaptable and resilient rather than fearing change. You can send an email, text, or comment. I'd love to hear from you. I also use Skype, iPod Touch, and Mac. How well is technology working for you?
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Success Stories Inspire Successful Programs
One anecdotal success story in the article describes an employee of "Save the Children" who goes to Vietnam in 1990 to fight widespread malnutrition. The contributing problems of poverty, poor sanitation, and impure water systems seemed overwhelming and were out of the control of the organization. So rather than trying to solve everything that wasn’t working, the managers looked for children who lived in poor conditions but were not malnourished.
The company’s research showed that the mothers of children who were not suffering from malnutrition had slight differences in their cooking and eating habits. To improve the eating habits of children suffering from malnutrition, a community designed program for malnourished families was set up. The mothers learned new behaviors that soon became habits. Practicing healthy actions helped the women change their thinking. The change arose from knowledge gleaned from their own community rather than instituting strategies designed by outsiders. As a result of their work, the article states that 65% of the kids learned and maintained better nutrition.
As a personal/career coach and program manager, I learn from the experts, but then I look at the needs of the community. It is important to find out what systems and habits are working well. While managing the Pathways to Success Program for a nonprofit serving the homeless, I found the general wisdom was the belief that people first need a stable home before they can get a job. Paying for a home without an income is impossible for many people. Interestingly, I learned that it wasn’t always the people who had an address that got the job. After starting a career center, facilitating workshops, and implementing career coaching programs, I found that those with good job search skills, self-esteem, a cell phone, and professional clothes were often the ones who got the job. I was able to offer workshops, provide accountability, and assist in helping people find professional clothes. I couldn’t solve the homeless problem, but I could help people develop better relationships, lifestyle habits, and job search skills that helped participants with no home find a job.
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, Fast Company,
February 1, 2010, Issue 142, Dan and Chip Heath, http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/142/switch-how-to-change-things-when-change-is-hard.html, online 3/15/10.
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller